Travelling in London: Oyster card or Travelcard?
We are 2 families traveling to London for about 6 days. We have young kids in the group. We are staying right at the border between zones 1 and 2, and will be traveling only within these 2 zones. So, which card is economical: Oyster card or travel card? It seems to me that the travel card would be cheaper for us, but everyone seems to be recommending the Oyster card. Thoughts?
Best Answer
It is quite difficult to find exact details on the TfL web-site but it repeatedly states that Pay as You Go is cheaper than a Day Trravlecard.
https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/ways-to-pay/pay-as-you-go
States that quite clearly. If you dig hard enough into the web-site you can find exact fares for all sorts of journeys and details of exactly what the cap is. That page also mentions contactless instead and as comments above state this may be better if your week is a calendar week but not if your card provider charges per transaction.
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Is it cheaper to get an Oyster card or a Travelcard?
As a general rule a Travelcard is more expensive than an Oyster card or Contactless payment card. The exception is if you make 3 or more journeys for 6 days or more within a 7 day period. In this case a 7 day Travelcard works out cheaper than an Oyster or Contactless payment card.Is it cheaper to use an Oyster card in London?
The Oyster Card is a magnetic rechargeable plastic card valid for all of London's public transport. It not only simplifies the payment system, but it is also cheaper than paying for a single journey ticket every time you ride the Underground, bus, DLR or Overground.What is the best Travelcard to use in London?
An Oyster card may be the most cost-effective option if you are only visiting for a few days. A 7 Day Travelcard is a good option if you are visiting for a week and only plan to visit central London. You can also use contactless payment, which has both a daily and weekly fare cap.Do you need an Oyster card to travel in London?
You can get a standard Oyster card in London if you don't have a contactless card or device, or a Visitor Oyster card. You pay \xa35 and then add pay as you go credit or a Travelcard to pay for your journeys.Oyster Card vs Travelcard Price Comparison, Transport for London
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Answer 2
Oyster is cheaper than a travelcard due to caps for for both adult and children. That means, no matter how much you travel, you can only be charged a maximum amount which is less than a travelcard.
Adult Zone 1/2 cap:
Whereas the travelcard is £13.10 for Zones 1-4. The same applies for children with the price depending on their age.
View the caps here.
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